


Once in a Lifetime

by MidnightCall



Series: Darkest Shadows [1]
Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Elemental Magic, F/M, Fantasy, Multi, Other, Phoenixes, Sexual Abuse, Slavery, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 19:16:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5467973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightCall/pseuds/MidnightCall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since humans landed on the strange but hospitable planet of Tertainia, they have been in conflict with the mythical animals that have lived there since the beginning of time. Because of the many casualties suffered, and the number of bonds torn apart by the humans' need for knowledge, numerous of these magical creatures blended into human societies, pretending to be what they were not. They began to evolve...<br/>However, there were a few races who refused to allow these harmful parasites to roam their clean planet any longer, guarding what remained of their territory with a vengeance. And so, the stalemate continued.<br/>But magic, unlike technology, has not advanced to higher levels over the past millennium. Therefore, it was not too surprising when a baby phoenix was stolen from its guardian and transported to Fylnor, the land of humans.<br/>What secrets and old wounds might be uncovered when said guardian disobeys the Master of the Elements and leaves phoenix territory to bring his hatchling back?</p><p>Disclaimer: One character is taken from an animated film, at the request (read: plead) of a friend. I do not own him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Once in a Lifetime

Void.

There was nothing that could be felt. And nothing that could be seen.

His latest—and only—memory was but a blur.

A young, violet-haired woman stood before him with the reverberation of gunfire in the background. Who was this person? Her purple eyes were clouded with hesitation. An explosion sounded above him, with a shower of leaves and branches raining down from the sky. The girl muttered something and fled.

A shadow loomed over him. He remembered looking up only to see a large, hooded figure with wizened, clawed hands reaching for him. Reaching, reaching. He remembered feeling an intense jolt of fear as those cruel fingers wrapped around his neck. Someone was screaming, their voice too faint to make out the words, yet he could hear their pain and sorrow.

And so, the memory ended, yet there had to be something wrong. He could not remember his name.

Neither could he remember what led to the only recollection that lingered in his consciousness.

But there was one thing that the girl had said. Don’t let them have your tears.

What did she mean?

He did not have time to ponder it, for the void was soon filled with dim color.

 

The murmuring of voices reached his ears. Although the emptiness had receded to the edges of his mind, the only thing he could see was darkness.

His neck ached. There was something heavy around it. Sight was denied to him. This feeling…was it a blindfold?

The fear returned suddenly, like a flash flood of pure terror. He was uncomfortable surrounded by darkness. A thought emerged within him. Not my element.

What did that mean?

The scent of tobacco smoke and sweat reached him, settling like a heavy blanket in his surroundings along with the low murmurs of what seemed to be a crowd. There was also the jingling of metal behind him.

A loud voice cut through the hum of conversations. It was distinctly male.

“Esteemed ladies and gentlemen,” it announced. The conflicting sounds died away. “Welcome to the Underground Auction! Today, we have prepared for you the most intriguing creatures captured fresh from all around the galaxy. For our first selection…”

There was a harsh sound of rusty wheels rolling on the floor. He could not help but cringe at the squeal. A collective gasp of interest emerged from the darkness.

Confusion beat back the fear inside of him. Where was he? To whom did those voices belong to? The curiosity was overwhelming. But he couldn’t move. Something cold and hard was holding him back. Darkness still smothered his senses, and he could not escape from its deathlike grasp.

Time flew rather quickly, although it was somewhat hard to tell through the gloom. The sounds made by the mysterious group of people began to increase in volume. It was now several times louder than in the beginning and brought on a persistent headache. Different numbers were frequently called out, rising steadily in quantity. Occasionally, the people yelled at one another, until something was decided and they moved on.

The loud voice spoke again.

“And for our last selection, we present to you…” it trailed off.He felt a rough jolt and began to move, accompanied by the sound of clinking metal and rusty wheels. After only a few seconds, there was another lurch, and he stopped.

“…the best of all the creatures displayed today!” There a loud, simultaneous intake of breath. “Here is a baby phoenix only a day old and the second one to ever be captured by humanity!” Loud exclamations arose from the darkness.

There was no doubt the loud voice was talking about him. He could hear a rustling behind him, and felt the blindfold being untied and removed. He was afraid of the scene that would appear before him if he opened his eyes, but the darkness was no longer tolerable.

The first things he saw were the metal bars. It seemed that he was surrounded by them, which means he was sitting in a cage. Then the thing around his neck…a collar. It shined a bright blue and was quite heavy despite the slender shape.

Next, he noticed that he was on an elevated platform. Before him was an audience shrouded in smoke and shadow. He could feel their eyes on him, staring like he was a full course meal laid before a pack of starving dogs. He wished he had more than the cage and the thin gown he wore to fend off their hungry gazes.

“I assure you,” the loud voice continued, “that this animal is absolutely genuine, although it may look human from a distance. Its eyes have a startling clarity to them, and this silver-colored hair certainly isn’t normal. It also has the ability to completely digest its food, so it doesn’t make messes for you to clean up. Also, it does not sweat when hot, nor shiver when cold. It can survive in any extreme weather.

“Adult phoenixes are impossible to capture. Once a young one’s wings have developed, it would have the ability to shapeshift. It is also impossible to force one to reproduce. They do so through magic, which humanity has yet to understand. To prevent this one from escaping like the last one, we’ve given it a diamond collar—credit goes to Golden Star Technology—to bind it even more fiercely.

“Now that I’ve stressed the rarity of this creature, who would like to offer the opening bid?”

He was even more puzzled than before. He observed the collar around his neck, and could tell that it was restricting his movements by a large margin. The chains that connected him to the floor of the cage ensured that moving was not a possibility. Staying awake was difficult. Indeed, he was beginning to feel dizzy. The collar took what strength that remained from the prolonged darkness. His vision slowly dimmed.

Before the void returned, he heard the loud voice yell, “SOLD!!”

* * *

The ones standing before him blocked the way to the exit, and he also needed the mystic water from the Water Elemental Fountain to succeed in his desired objective. Only one looked away in guilt. She had been there when he was near to breaking down and crying. She was the one who comforted him of his lost hatchling, much like how she must have comforted Redel when he had been taken by the humans nigh on one hundred years ago.

“Hatchlings are meant to be precious,” he began but was abruptly cut off.

“You're too soft, Yunan,” the boldest of the four said irritably. “He’s caught in a hopeless situation. Even you can’t rescue him and make it back without being captured. So leaving on this idiotic journey is simply going to put you back to where you originally started. You should care for your own well-being more than that of an unknown and un-named hatchling. You haven’t even bonded with him!”

Her cold, uncaring words shocked him to the core. Yunan’s eyes narrowed.

"You may have forgotten, but I was the one who created that ‘unknown and un-named hatchling’,” he replied, his voice as light as usual, but kept this way with considerable effort. “I have bonded with him, in an incomplete way, and he is in this situation because of your foolish actions. I have to bring him back. You also do not know of the trials the humans will force upon him. I have experienced them firsthand and cannot let an innocent hatchling go through the same things. I cannot leave him to find his way on his own, as I did when I escaped.”

She said nothing more. There was a long pause. The other three had not seen nor talked to him for decades, and they had not expected him to be so bold. To tell the truth, they made him nervous, being centuries older than himself. Even though he had contributed almost half of the knowledge currently stored in the Library, the older phoenixes portrayed an aura that made him feel inferior.

“It will take you years to fly to Fylnor, and by that time, the humans may have killed him already,” another one argued, his dark eyes glinting with tension. “Our magic has not evolved, unlike their technology. And what would the Second Master do once she finds out that our Nature Leader disappeared, leaving the elements unbalanced?”

After years spent in solitude and playing his beloved flute, Yunan found that he was no longer aware of the many rules acquainted with society. Their excuses were flimsy and weak. What had happened to the carefree and understanding personalities these past eighty or so years? And absolutely no advance in magical theories and spells? Unthinkable!

“That is none of my concern,” said Yunan anyway. He pushed past the four and walked towards the Water Elemental Fountain. They let him, albeit reluctantly. “It is also wrong to call Lucia the Second Master. She is not of the Light. And because the Light Element has ceased to exist for the past millennia, one infirm Nature phoenix disappearing will not upset the already unbalanced elements.” He paused before the sparkling spring, looking back at the Water Leader.

“But—” the dark-eyed one protested, only to be cut off.

“You would not mind, Ea? I require it to heal him when his wings grow.”

She nodded her consent, showing her support like she always did. Of the four, she was the only one he had bonded with. “Lucia isn’t going to be happy about this. I—we—must tell her everything that transpired here, and you’ll be branded Outcast. Or worse, she’ll order your Elemental Death.” The latter would be the most probable outcome. The Wind Leader was not renowned for her considerate and merciful personality.

Yunan sighed, stowing the water inside a conjured container. “I do not mind. For most of my life, I have been treated like an Outcast. Nothing will change.” He did not say anything about being executed, instead unconsciously reaching for the jade ring around his neck before heaving another sigh. Bad habits die hard. “Ea, forgive me for forcing you to deal with my selfish decision.”

He did not spare a single glance back. Even if the other Elemental Leaders did not believe the baby phoenix he created to be a blessing, miracles such as the creation of an egg only occurred every century.

And with the humans’ unnatural need for expansion and their ever-advancing technology, the guarded lands of Siplen would no longer be safe. Yunan smiled sadly at the inevitable war already brewing on the horizon. He embraced the warm feeling as the magic flowed from his core.

With the container clutched firmly in his talons, he took off into the sky.

 

* * *

Farli heard the door of the mansion opening and leaped to her feet. Her mother was finally home from the office, and could focus on her. It was about time, since the chefs were almost done with dinner preparations and her stomach had been complaining about the absence of food for the past hour. She gripped the hems of her dress and curtsied to the tall woman standing in the doorway.

“Welcome home, Mother,” she said respectfully.

“It appears that your etiquette lessons are proceeding as planned, Farli. Well done,” praised the woman. She quickly took off her heavy coat and handed it to a servant. The girl beamed at the compliment and straightened herself to smile charmingly at her mother, who was speaking with another maid. “Bring me dinner in the lab.”

Hearing those words, Farli’s smile dropped, along with her hopes. “You’re not going to eat in the dining room?”

“Not today,” came the curt reply. “I just purchased an interesting creature and would like to examine it as soon as possible. And I also need to add it to my collection. Anyway, where’s your brother?”

The girl’s lips curled into a frown. Why did her mother always bother herself with that failure? He could be in any advanced class and pass with flying colors, and yet he didn’t want to take on the family business, leaving all the responsibility to his less competent younger sister. She rarely even saw him around the house. “Freud wasn’t feeling well and went to bed early like he always does,” She answered while trying to mask her distaste.

If her mother noticed, she didn’t ask, instead deciding to change the subject towards a lighter note. “Why don’t you join me in the lab? I’m sure you’re old enough to learn more.”

“Of course, mother! I’d be honored,” Farli said enthusiastically, her smile returning. At least she could salvage her plans for some quality time with her.

She followed the woman through the brightly lit hallways of the mansion and down the long winding stairs to the underground laboratory. One of the servants followed two steps behind and one to the right—as was custom—just in case they needed anything. Farli was beginning to wonder how special this animal was, seeing as how her mother was adding it to her collection as soon as buying it.

“Now, let me explain a few things,” her mother said as they stopped in front of a room with a glass panel for viewing. So far, it was empty.

Behind them was cages of different animals. Some were asleep, others were staring at them with wide eyes. To the left stood two doors. One led to where human experiments took place and the other was where her mother’s most prized collection was held in various rooms, which was also connected to the glass paneled room. “People are crazy about these animals that have some sort of magic in them, and I am no exception. This one, especially, was a hard bid to win. I’ve learned as much as possible about these magical races, but it just wasn’t enough. And so I began to collect them. Train them to be my loyal servants.”

Farli held her tongue as she listened to her mother’s retelling of the beginning of her success. She knew the story inside and out, forward and backward, yet it was interesting to hear every time. She talked about receiving a caged fairy for her fifteenth birthday, and later, how she had sent out teams of people into dark forests to capture others. Farli remembered when her mother had presented her with a subdued unicorn that she could ride to school on, instead of a regular horse. It had made her the most popular person in school.

“Now it’s time for you to experience the ‘breaking in’ process. Before, I did it all by hand. But now, I have Atu and Cor to do the work for me. And soon, when you take over Golden Star Technology, they will be yours to command. Here’s your first lesson. It’s the most important. Pain will always gain you control when all else fails. You mustn’t show kindness, and your ultimate goal is to establish an iron-hard hierarchy among those that serve you.

“This is why vampires are so suited for this process. Their sharp claws contain toxins that attack nerves, and there are at least ten different types of poisons stored in their body. Only one type is lethal, but because it is hard to know which one they used, there are no synthetic antidotes. Also, once they’ve recognized you as master, they will almost never stray from their path. Rewarding is simple. The blood of the creature you want to suppress will satisfy them. Ah, speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Won’t he, Cor?”

The woman shifted her gaze from Farli to the tall, lithe figure wearing all black strolling into the glass room. He looked like a normal human, albeit a little more attractive. His irises, however, were dim and opaque, truly frightening up close. Farli resisted the temptation of leaning in closer to her mother. She knew that he was a force not to be messed with, especially after her mother’s description of them as “perfect torture devices.” Like all captured animals, he wore a collar around his neck. It looked to be made of black and white onyx.

“Of course, Mistress Tamara,” the vampire almost sang. He grinned, showing off his fangs and looking extremely happy.

A hidden panel opened on the floor and a small cage rose into view. Inside was a small bundle of white. The bars quickly retracted back into the ground, leaving the creature defenseless, or so Farli thought.

Though it seemed impossible, Cor’s grin widened as the thing stirred. “I haven’t had the chance to taste the blood of her kind for my entire lifetime.” He stalked closer. “I’ve heard tales…”

Farli watched as the figure on the floor opened its eyes. She gasped softly at the swirling, sky-blue orbs. It was almost blinding, as if every drop of color from the heavens was squeezed into twin pools of azure. The blue diamond collar it wore dimmed in comparison. It was strange how it reminded her of her brother’s eyes. Farli shook her head. Now was not the time to be thinking of that person.

Almost immediately, the creature’s eyes hardened at the sight of the vampire towering over its child-like frame. It rose unsteadily to its feet and shifted into a combat stance.

“She’s a feisty one, Mistress, and so young! I might actually be entertained this time,” the monster chuckled, seemingly amused. He stretched his hands, showing off the dark purple claws.

Her mother frowned. “They are genderless. Why are you calling it a ‘she’?” Farli continued to observe in quiet fascination, pushing back the endless tide of questions that swarmed around in her mind. The first and most prominent being: What kind of animal was it? Certainly something she’d never seen before.

Cor answered that question before she could voice it. “A phoenix’s appearance tends to lean more towards that of a girl’s, so it’s just a simple assumption,” He paused, then added, “And their blood is absolutely delicious, or so the stories say. I bet Atu’s never tasted it.”

“I have a feeling that this is going to be different from the other animals we’ve dealt with,” her mother sighed wearily. “You’ll have to use different tactics, seeing how your kind has always been their enemy. No doubt it’s equipped with well-honed instincts.”

“No worries,” said the vampire, brushing her concerns aside, all the while smirking malevolently. “She’s not the only one, and your ring thingy is a really big handicap for her, especially since she hasn’t had the chance to learn magic.” Cor sounded almost as if he wanted to teach her magic just so he could have more fun playing around with her.

She heaved another sigh. “If you don’t want to die, I’d suggest keeping it that way. As long as it lives and obeys me, I don’t care what you have to do.” Then, Farli’s mother turned to her, her eyes stern. “Watch carefully, Farli. Cor knows what he’s doing. This is a valuable learning experience, and I don’t want you to waste it on sympathy like you did when I gave you that unicorn. If you want it to listen to you, then you have to make it fear you, or even the very mention of your name. Afterward, if you have any questions, just ask, okay?”

Farli nodded, hardening her heart. She didn’t want to disappoint her mother. And there was no need to feel bad for the bird. It was a dumb animal, after all. Although it looked like a human child of two years, there was nothing relatively human about it.

Cor had already initiated the battle by the time Farli returned her attention to the glass room, leaping forward, fangs bared and claws extended, looking for any opening in which to thrust his poison-filled strikes. He swiped at the phoenix, only to have it dodge and reciprocate by grabbing his outstretched arm and quickly breaking it at the elbow. However, to its dismay, the bone immediately snapped back into its socket. The vampire did not give his victim a chance to avoid the next blow, which carved a bloody line on its shoulder.

“Humph!” the tall woman muttered in satisfaction as it stumbled and fell to the floor. “Cor has years of experience in dealing with troublesome newcomers. He’s truly fit for the title of my ‘right-hand man’. But that bird isn’t bad. Now how to make a profit off of it…” That was what she always considered. How much money could she make? This time round, Farli was the one who came up with the answer first, although it took her several minutes to consider various options.

“Underground fighting ring,” she answered confidently. “It looks weak and helpless, but if properly trained, it would pose a great threat. Nobles from all around would be attracted by its strange appearance. If we refrain from telling them everything, but just enough to have them coming back, then we would be reaping in huge profits every time it fights.”

“Now that’s a nice idea!” she said enthusiastically. “As expected of my—”

She was cut off by the sound of something hitting the wall accompanied by a splatter of crimson liquid. Farli was shocked by the fact that Cor was the one who was now on the ground, struggling to rise. Her mother was similarly, if not more, taken aback.

Said vampire chuckled happily—albeit having lost a significant amount of blood—the small, composed expression of amusement quickly turned into full-blown laughter. “Interesting! This is extremely interesting! I can’t wait to taste you!” He swung his arms, spraying the phoenix with his blood. It flinched and began to shift out of the way. Using the wall as a launch pad, Cor tackled his opponent to the ground while it was still off balance. His weight made it impossible for it to escape.

“Cor…” the woman began, a hint of something heated and dark in her tone.

“Hmm?” he asked after pinning the phoenix’s bloodstained arms to the ground.

“That position…seriously makes you look like a pedophile.”

Cor’s excited grin turned into a mischievous one. “Is that so…?” He lowered his head and lapped slowly at the blood flowing from the various scratches all over its small frame, eyes closed in perverted satisfaction. “Now, now, stop struggling. You’ve lost, so it’s time I took my prize, dear Nix. It wouldn’t hurt that much if you’d stay still.”

Ignoring his advice, the phoenix continued to twist and turn, trying desperately to flee from the vampire’s descending fangs. The burning resistance in its gaze faded into exhaustion, pain, and terror. Cor sank his teeth deep into its neck above the collar and moaned in pleasure as the scarlet liquid welled up and filled his mouth with nourishing blood. His injuries began to heal.

“…Nix?” asked Farli.

“Latin for accumulated snow. Correspondingly the last three letters of ‘phoenix’. A perfect slave name,” her mother replied, watching her servant feast after a tiring battle. “I also think that Cor has fallen in love with her. He didn’t act like this for any of the other creatures, and he definitely didn’t call any of them ‘dear.' Not even Atu. Normally, he would leave the naming to me, too.”

“F-Fallen in love?!” Farli shrieked quietly, noting her mother’s change from “it” to “her.”

“Yes. You know that saying, ‘opposites attract.' I suppose I should let him have what he wants,” she said, then raised her voice so that the vampire could hear what she was going to say next. “Cor, I’ll put Nix under your care. Do what you wish, as long as she is mine when I want her to be.”

He smiled happily and set his gaze on the trembling form in his arms. Her eyes were dim and lifeless, close to losing consciousness. “Mistress Tamara sure is smart, isn’t she, Nix? It’s a shame I didn’t hear you scream. Must be a lovely sound. I’ll make sure to wring it out of you the next time.” With that said, Cor licked the wound, his saliva closing it to prevent death by blood loss.

“Mother,” Farli said, drawing the woman’s attention away from the pair in the glass room. “I believe I understand the process now. It was a very interesting learning experience.”

“Really? That’s nice to know. You’ll be Nix’s master, then. I’ll accompany you to the Underground, but it will your job to make sure that she wins. Now, go on to dinner. I have to check on Freud. While you’re there, tell the servants that they’re late with bringing me my meal, and find out who was at fault. Fire that person,” she instructed.

Farli nodded, her mood once again dampened by the mention of her brother. What did her mother see in him that she didn’t? Why did he always steal her attention away from Farli? It wasn’t fair. He didn’t do anything to impress her, or make her proud. No matter how hard she worked, their mother always thought of Freud first. But she held her tongue and followed her mother out of the laboratory.

 


End file.
